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Today, I realized how much I do not live in the present. I am waaaay better at it than I used to, and in hindsight it almost was like I compulsively was either in the past or in the future but never in the present !

Recently talking with my best friend a few days ago and told her we both were the Melancolic Spleen kind of women and this was partly why we felt like we did not belong with others. I tend to relive the past, over and over, and wonder “what if…” all the time. There is no point doing that and it leaves me sad more than anything else.

Learning to let go

It does not mean to forget what happens. To let go is to accept what used to be, and then move forward. I think a lot, introspect all the damn time, wonder, ponder, create various scenari about how something could have gone but did not.

I wish I could ask all the questions and get answers. But what would it change, would it bring closure ? Maybe not. Torture ? Sure.

How creativity helped me to let go

As I told you recently, I used to be a very prepared artist. Sketching, planning, overthinking. But then, a shift happened. Art journaling was my way to take any anger, any doubt and all these “what if-s” out of my system. Out of my head.

Creativity taught me not to get attached to the outcome. To love the process more than the end result. By doing that, it’s okay to let layers go. To move forward by knowing everything will turn out as it’s meant to.

Have you noticed how everything is intertwined ? How life and creativity mirror each other ?

I am so happy to share with you today the second episode of my {Inspired By} video series. Mindy is a dedicated artist sharing her love for techniques in online and in-person classes.

I had the chance to meet her twice at workshops and she is even funnier in person ! I am blessed to have found her when I did, not long before she released her first online class, Paint Your Story.

Here’s the video:

I related to her characters at first sight. The soft intensity in their eyes and expression has something unique. They have a child-like quality. This is something essential that Mindy taught me over the year: never leave the child you once were behind. Her stories, her trials, her pain, her simple joys are what makes you you today.

Mindy explores techniques so she can get through what gives her a hard time.

And don’t forget her sweet southern accent 😀

Yes, I do have a big girl crush on her, but who wouldn’t ?

SUPPLIES I used for this project:

It’s not a secret, when I started making art again (around 2009), I was very careful. I sketched the entire painting, then layered color after color etc. It was not working that well for me though because I was too tightened up in my creativity.

Let it flow through your hands

Perfection is just a dream. Nothing ever is truly perfect. I start a creative session by sitting within myself (for so to speak) and be thankful for whatever is going to come out this day. It may simply start with an intention, but sometimes (often) it is also coupled with words. I don’t plan. I start and just feel the artwork. I don’t like what’s happening ? I cover it up. Until it speaks to my Soul and I adore it.

It is not always an easy ride. But once I am tuned in, I don’t look back to my old ways.
Let. It. Go !!!
Something I created and love might looks very flawed to you. And that’s totally okay: art is subjective.

Art is made to make you FEEL something. Whatever that is. Even when it is a negative emotion like disgust, it is still something.

You can not control how others will react to your art, if you share it into the world. And sharing is a big step, that is not always easy.

Be a channel

Your beliefs are your own. I don’t believe in God in the Christian/Catholic way, I however do believe in a Higher Power. You can also say that this Higher Power is simply your intuition, your guiding voice that needs to be expressed.

I do believe I am just a channel to what need to be birthed to the world. And it helped me not to stay too attached to my paintings.

Each of them, even the abstract ones, have a story for you. And I guess this is what connects them to us.

I am so happy to share with you today a new {Art Journaling In Motion} video showcasing a special project I am part of.

A few months ago, Tina Walker had an open call to artists who would be willing to participate in an idea she had: she would prepare and send the same envelope of supplies, and from it we would create anything. We did not know what she would pick and were all unaware of the level of “it is out of my comfort zone” that would fill the parcel.

And this project was born: Starting from the same place

I received it in the midst of unpacking our house and my new Studio, and just took a glimpse when I got it in the mail, then it sit for a while. In it, were a ViewMaster disk, a stencil by StencilGirl (you know I love me some stencils, right ?), some painted/dyed canvas, some Fabritac, resisters (yes, the electrician thingy), some Amazing casting products and chipboard pieces. Lots of fun stuff that gave me quite some thinking to do prior to start.

I really tried to use everything, at least partially (as you can see, I cut some of the fabric for my signature droplets, for example) but could not use the green fabric for example (I am keeping all the leftovers for future projects).

I really invite you to browse what the others created: it is as diverse as can be and so much fun to see how we all used the same supplies to begin with but ended up with such different projects 😉 You’ll find a tool with all the links at the end of this blogpost.

Here are a few close-up shots:

I am so excited to finally share with you the first episode of a new video series I was dying to start: {Inspired By} !

For this first one, I picked the ever talented Marta Lapkowska. She is a scrapbooker, a mixed media artist, an art journaler and seems to tackle about any medium you could think of.
She also is a teacher and a face painter.

I love her colourful style, filled with texture (as you know, I myself am a texture obsessed junkie and could not live without it in my creative life).

I hope you’ll enjoy:

Her Youtube videos are not to be missed, you’ll appreciate how honest she is about her process and all the ideas she is sharing so willingly with all of us (yes… I am a video binge watcher and once you have seen one, you’ll want to see them all, then run to create something ! trust me).

I loved her altered brown bags and knew I had to try to make my own. In this video series, I will not be copying the artist; I will really get inspired by their style or one of their project that picked my attention somehow.

Tell me in the comments who you’d like me to pick for the next videos ? I am very open and love going outside my comfort zone 😉

A few close-up shots of my finished brown bag: